PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The Rays will open the season with a versatile lineup that can play solid defense and won't strike out as much as the 2017 club. A solid pitching staff will again be the foundation of the team, so the defense will be an asset behind a deep group of arms. Plenty of new faces will be with the team, replacing a lot of old favorites, including longtime mainstay Evan Longoria.
Despite the changes, the Rays feel as though they've assembled a quality roster that can compete in the ultra-competitive American League East.